Friction-clutch.



Patented Oct. 24, |899.

G.. J-. GuNnEnsoN. FHIGTION CLUTCH.

(Application fu'ed June 22, 1899.)

(No Model.)

l Wiflgesscs M N Unirse STATES PATENT Fries.

GUNDER JOHAN GUNDERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SEECIFICATIGN forming part of Letters Patent NO. 635,477, dated October24, 1899.

Application tiled J une 22, 1899. Serial No. 721,498. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, GUNDER JOHAN GUN'- DERsON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the`county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful Friction-Clutch, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to friction-clutches, and particularly to devicesof this character having a clutch-ring on one member to receive thefrictional or gripping pressure of pairs of heads on an adjacent member.

The purpose of the present form 0f clutch is to overcome numerousdisadvantages heretofore existing in analogous structures by institutinga positive response of the movable gripping device and avoid Wear byhaving a self-adjustable disposition of their contacting faces and alsoto impart to the active mechanism an equality and regularity oftranslated pressure which can be increased or diminished in accordanceWith the requirements and demands of the cooperating parts and withoutapparent end thrust on journalboxes and collars or other injuriousstrains.

The invention primarily consists of a clutchring connected to or forminga part of a pulley or other ymomentum-imparting devices loosely mountedon a shaft adjacent grippingarms provided with heads supported in keyedrelation to the said shaft and secondarily operated by a sliding wedgeinitially actuated by a longitudinally-shiftable finger having a jworking surface and a seat.

The invention further consists of the details of construction andarrangement, as well as subcombinations, which will be more fullyhereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal verticalsection of a clutch embodying the invention. Fig. 2 i's a section on theline 0c, Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 3 is asection of the device, taken in the direction of the arrow on line y y,Fig. 1. Fig. 4 .is a detail perspective view of one of thegripping-heads. Fig. 5 is a similar view of one of the gripping-arms.Fig. 6 is a similar view of one of the actuating-fingers. Fig. 7 is asimilar view of one of the Wedges and its spring.

Similar numerals of referenceare employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

The clutch, as shown inthe accompanying drawings, is arranged to couplea drivingshaft and pulley or other power-imparting device looselymounted thereon and to impart the'movement of the said shaft to thepulley or other device. It will be understood,how ever, that the partscould be reversely arranged or the clutch be arranged in connection witha driving-shaft and an adjacent driven shaft. and that gearing could besubstituted for the pulley without departing from the invention.

In the arrangement shown the numeral l designates a driving-shaft onwhich is loosely mounted a hub 2, having radial arms 3, provided Withouter angular supports 4, connected to or forming a part of aclutch-ring 5, which stands in concentric relation to the said shaft.Keyed to the said shaft 1 is a hub 6 of a spider '7, having arms 8,which are arranged in parallel pairs and provide the opposite side wallsfor the operative disposition of parts which will be presently setforth. The spider 7 has its central portion in a vertical directionconstantly in alinement with the inner termination of the ring 5, andbetween each pair of arms 8 clutcharms 9 are pivoted in reverse relationand have outer reduced endsvlO projecting beyond the terminationsthereof. Theclutcharms 9 adjacent and inward from their pivotal pointshave regular contacting edges 11 and the inmost corners rounded off, asat 12. These clutch-arms are normally held thrown in at their inner endsby fiat or analogous springs 13, bearing thereupon, and consequently theouter reduced ends of said arms stand in divergent planes. The springs13 are strong enough to constantly maintain this normal position of theclutch-arms, and the adjusting mechanism which is employed to change theangle of the said arms in the spider will operate against the tensionbfthe said springs, and when said mechanism is out -of forceful engagementwith said arms the latter will automatically resume the position shown'.On the outer end of each arm a gripping-head 14 is adjustably mountedand, as clearly shown by Fig. 4, comprises a ICO segmental plate or body15, having an outer strengthening-rib 16 and a seat 17 on its in nerface to receive a wooden or other contacting shoe 1S, which is held byscrews or analogous fastenings 19. At the center of the segmental plateor body 15 a box 20 is located, and in the outer vertical wall of thesame an elongated slot 21 is formed. The upper opposite portion of thebex 2O is recessed to provide a dovetail seat 22, which opens outthrough the vertical wall of the said box. On the reduced end 10 of thearm 9 a dovetail plate 23 is secured and is adjustably mounted in thedovetail seat 22 and serves to maintain a steady assemblage of thesegmental head and the arm and whereby wabbling or irregular movement ofthe head is prevented. The arm 9 within the reduced end 10 has ascrew-threaded opening 24 extending therethrough, which alines with theslot 2l when the arms and heads are connected, and movably extendingthrough the said slot 21 and screw-threaded opening 24 of the respectiveparts is an adjustingscrew 25, having an outer polygonal head and ajam-nut 26. The reduced outer end f the arm 9 perinits the head, andparticularly the box 20, to have free adjustment thereon, and thecentral outer portion of the head, providing an inner wall for the saidbox, is always parallel with the contiguous edge of the outer reducedend of the arm.

The plate 23 preserves this parallelism just referred to, and the angleof position of the arm 9 is primarily such that the shoe 18 will bebrought squarely against the face of the ring 5 and with which it alwaysstands in operative relation. By manipulating the screw 25 the box 2Oand its head can be shifted in or out on the outer reduced end 10 of thearm 9, and thus provide for an increase or decrease of the pressure ofthe shoe against the clutch-ring and also to compensate for wear. Vhenthis adjustment is made, the plate 23 slides in the dovetail seat 22 ineither direction or corresponding to the movement of the said box.

The inner opposite central portions of each pair of arms Sof the spiderhave alined guiderecesses 27 formed therein, as more clearly shown inFig. 3, and movably receive the opposite guide-studs 2S of a slidingwedge 29. This wedge is preferably of truncated triangular form andpresents opposite equally-inclined edges 30 to the inner rounded corners12 of the arms 9, which constantly bear thereon. This wedge is normallyshoved inwardly toward the center of the spiderand centrally of the armsbetween which it moves by a spring 31, having its inner end extendinginto a socket 32 in the outer truncated portion thereof and its oppositeor outer end fitted .over an inwardly-projecting pin 33, supported by across-web 34, connecting the central portions of the outer terminationsof the arms 8 in a transverse direction. This web 34 is preferablyintegral with the arms, and the spring is strong enough to force thewedge 29 inward.

Slidingly mounted on-the shaft 1 at a suitable distance from the spider7 is a clutchoperating sleeve 35, which receives a split ring or otheranalogous device 36, connected to a shifting lever. The clutch-sleeve 35is limited in one direction by a clutch-collar 37, which is made fast tothe shaft 1, and at the inner end of said sleeve regular bearing-seats3S are provided and comprise adjacently-situated ears, having the outerend of the finger 40 removably secured therein. The inner edge 41 of thesaid finger is flat or straight and movable over the hub 6 of the spider7, the said hub by this means forming a regular guide for the movementof the finger. The finger, as shown in detail in Fig. G, is formed withan inner reduced rest 42, upon which the inner extended edge of thewedge 29 normally has bearing when the clutch members or parts aredisengaged. Immediately succeeding the rest 42 is a bevel or inclinedworking face 43, which merges or continues into a seat 44. The oppositecorners of the wedge 29 are also rounded, as at 45, so as to permit aneasy riding motion of the wedge over the different parts of the finger,particularly in one direction, as will be understood.

When it is desired to change the position of the clutch-heads from thatshown in Fig. 1 and to engage the spider with the clutch-ring 5 t0transmit therethrough the motion of the shaft 1 to the pulley or otherdevice that may be connected to the hub 6, the clutchsleeve 35 is movedtoward the left, thus forcing the wedge 29 outwardly by means of theworking face 43 of the finger 40, which is simultaneously shifted withthe said clutch-sleeve. The opposite equallyinclined edges 30 of thewedge move with equal expanding pressure over the inner round corners ofthe arms 9 and force the inner ends of the latter outwardly in thedirection of the arrows and the heads, carried by the outer reducedportions of the said arms,inwardly. This operation continues until theseat 44 of the finger 40 is fully against the inner edge of the wedge29, and when said seat shall have arrived in this position the shoes 18of the head 14 will be in firm contact with the clutch-ring 5, and thispositioncan be maintained as long as desired without danger ofaccidental release that might arise from vibrations or otherwise, andparticularly in view of the firm engagement of the seat 44 with theinner extended edge of the wedge 29. lVhen it is desired to release theclutch-heads from the clutch-ring, the clutch-sleeve 35 is shifted inthe opposite direction, thus permitting the wedge 29 to be throwninwardly toward the cent-er and the said heads moved outwardly, so as toclear the shoes 18 from contact with the opposite faces of theclutchring 5 by means of the springs 13 exerting their tension againstthe inner portions of the arms 9. It will be observed that the wedge 29is never disengaged from the inner portions IIO of the arms 9 or thefinger 40, and the several parts are thus always ready for quick action.

The number'of the arms 9 and heads 14, as well as wedges 29 and lingers40, may be increased or decreased at will and proportioned in accordancewith the dimension of the clutch-ring or other devices that might besubstituted and which are well known in the art. The construction isthe'same in each instance, and in describing these specilic features, aswell as the operation, only one pair of heads and arms and a singleWedge and finger have been included, because the said arrangement wouldbe operative and at least is all the reference necessary to illustratethe invention in view of the duplication of similar'parts at all points.

When aV plurality of the fingers 40 and wedges 29 are used together withthe complementary arms 9 and heads 14,`the movement will be equallycarried on throughout the several similar mechanisms, as the saidfingers are similar in every part, and the contactin g pressure of theheads at various points on the clutch-ring 5 will positively rot-ate thelatter and such other devicesv as may be influenced thereby without lostmotion or slip.

Changesin the proportions, size, and minor details of construction maybe resorted to other than those enumerated without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1.Aclutchcomprisingaclutch-ringhaving an inwardly-extending portion, apairof heads disposed on opposite sides of the inwardly-extending portion ofthe said ring and having inwardly-extending clutch-arms, aradiallymovable wedge disposed between the said arms and operable todraw the heads of the same together, a slidable finger disposed in aplane at right angles to said wedge and bearing against the latter, andmeans for supporting the said devices.

2. A clutch comprising a clutch-ring, a pair of movable arms adjacentthe ring and norm ally held diverged, heads adj ustably carried by thesaid arms, a wedge between the arms provided with opposite oblique edgesengaging the lat-ter at a distance inward from their pivotal points, aslidable finger for operating the said wedge, and means for supportingthe said devices.

3. A clutch comprising a clutch-ring normally loose on a bearing, a pairof arms pivotally mounted adjacent the clutch-ring and rotatably movablewith a driving device, the inner ends of said arms being normallyconverged toward each other, heads adjustably mounted on the outer endsof the said arms on opposite sides of the clutch-ring and having shoesto bear against the latter, a radially-movable wedge having oppositeinclined faces bearing against the converged -inner ends of the arms andlocated between the latter, and a finger for operating the said wedgedisposed in a plane at right angles to the inner edge of the wedge andprovided with a working face and a seat.

4. A clutch comprising a clutch member adapted to be driven,inwardly-extending movable arms carrying heads in fiXedrot-atablerelation to a driving member, a radiallyslidable wedge mounted betweenparts of the said arms and also rotatable with the driving member, and aslidable finger having a rest with which the wedge is in continual looseengagement and also provided with an inclined working face and a fiatseat.

5. A clutch comprising a clutch-ring adapted to be driven, aspider fastlto a drivingshaft, a pair of arms pivotally mounted in the said spiderand having their inner ends converged, heads adjustably mounted on theouter ends ofthe said arms,springs forholding the arms inward at theirinner portions, a spring-actuated wedge radially slidable between theinner edges of the arms, and a slidable nger having bearing against theinner edge of the wedge and shiftable to change the position of thelatter.

6. A clutch comprising a clutch-ring loose on a support, a spider faston a drivingshaft, a pair of arms pivotally mounted in the said spiderhaving outer reduced ends the said arms being normally divergent towardtheir outer ends, dovetail plates on the outer ends of the arms, headshaving boxes with dovetail seats in the upperportion thereof to receivethe plates, adj Listing-screws movably fitted in the said boxes andarms, shoes on the inner faces of the heads, and means for operating thesaid heads and arms to bring the shoes thereof against the clutch-ring.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aftixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GUNDER JOHAN GUNDERSON.

Witnesses:

O. ANDREsoN, EUGENE COOK, Jr.

ICO

